Rising Everton football stars selected for national squads

Grace Clinton and Phoebe Hampson, two Lower Sixth students from Carmel College in St Helens have been selected to play for their respective national women’s football teams. Both girls currently play for Everton under-20s and are delighted to have the opportunity to play football at a national level.

Phoebe, who studies A-level PE, business studies and geography at Carmel, plays in midfield for Wales Women’s Under-19s. This year the under-19 UAFA qualifiers will be hosted in Wales, but Phoebe has previously travelled to Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, Denmark and Serbia to play.

Phoebe said: “I am delighted to play for the national team and represent my country. Every team member plays with so much pride and gives everything to each game. Everyone works really hard and there’s a great sense of community in the team.

“The staff in the sport department at Carmel have been great. They have given me lots of advice about future careers in sport. They also arranged a trip to Everton’s training ground, Finch Farm so we could speak to analysts, sports physiologists, and nutritionists.

“All my teachers have been really supportive of my football commitments. They understand the additional demands that this places on me”.

Grace, who studies A-level business studies, A-level PE and BTEC science, plays for the Under-17s England squad. Her next competition will take place later this month in Florida against USA.

Grace said: “I’ve been playing football since I was six years old.

“I now train four days a week at Everton with a match every Sunday. I’m also part of the Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme at Carmel, which has been really beneficial for me.

“I would say to any young girls hoping to get into football, it’s not how good you are, but how good you want to be”.